Waikato Interfaith Leaders Look into New Zealand's Mormon History

Members of Waikato's interfaith community were hosted at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' New Zealand Church History Centre recently.

The guests represented a number of religions including Christian denominations, Muslim, Bahá’í, Hare Krishna and Jewish faiths.

The focus of the evening was how many Latter-day Saint missionaries in New Zealand in the 19th and 20th Centuries took photographs and films, created sound recordings, as well as wrote in their journals and in letters regarding their associations with Maori and other New Zealanders.

Their photographic, film, audio and written records combine to create a treasure trove for historians interested in New Zealand history.

Many of the historical items housed in the Church's collection in Temple View, New Zealand, have been gathered by Rangi Parker and her husband Vic over many years.

“It is wonderful to see and feel the love that these early missionaries had for the people of this land,” Sister Parker said. “That is obvious as you read the letters and journal entries.”

The Parkers, Sister Noramerle Davis and Brother Michael Walmsley hosted the interfaith group at Temple View on 18 June.